I was optimistic at the beginning of the week that I would finally get the courage to start writing again, but I’ve come down with a sudden case of The Fear and it’s strangling me. I hope I can get past it during the week because while I’m being strangled by fear, I’m being suffocated by the need to actually write. I had a tantrum in the last hour where I whined at my poor mother about how, even though I have three days off a week, I have NO TIME to do the things I want to do. I can’t afford to cut my hours for this pursuit so I need to learn how to manage my time better.
That’s not to say that I failed completely, just in the most important aspect of my goals.
- I did not write a chapter yet.
- I did write a blog post
- I started writing character profiles based on the character aspect in my screenwriting course (which is wonderfully detailed and informative.)
- I added enough stuff to my tumblr queue for inspiration that I don’t have to touch it again for a week.
So what about all of you wonderful people? I hope you’ve been more productive than I have!
-Serena
You know what drives out the fear? An excellent dancing-alone-at-home sesh. And then pull out the book where Neil Gaiman told you to BELIEVE. Or called you beloved. Either way, motivational, right?
I should totally try that. If Neil Gaiman thinks I should do it, then I should.
*BLASTS BEYONCE*
THIS IS THE BEST PLAN EVER.
ALL THE YA AUTHORS, ALL THE YA AUTHORS, ALL THE YA AUTHORS, ALL THE YA AUTHORS NOWPUTYOURPENSDOWN!
Another thing I do when I’m gripped by The Fear is read a really trashy, fun, but poorly written book. Reading award-winners when I’m feeling bad about my writing just makes the doubt worse, but when you read a really terrible book, you think, “If this can get published, so can I! I can do way better than this!” Works (almost) every time!
Hope your week gets better!
This is so true. I work in a bookshop so I have pleeeenty of bad books to choose from. Seriously, I sit there at the desk, surrounded by pink sparkly-covered books that are rehashing the same over-sexed under-plotted story, and I know I can do better.
Now all I have to do is do it! That goes for all of us
Now and then, I’m given to throwing a good ol’ pity party – which I swear I keep down to ten minutes; maybe twenty minutes; okay, two hours tops. Then I have to remind myself of some of the things that come with being a writer, like writer’s block, rejection, and eating a whole tube of chocolate chip cookie dough while contemplating your next character and calling it “research.” Best wishes for a more productive week! Keep at it.
Waitwaitwaitwait.
We can eat a whole tube of cookie dough and put it down to being a writer? WHY DIDN’T I GET THIS MEMO?
I’ve experienced The Fear many, many times. It’s part of the process. Don’t let it hold you back! Take baby steps but start writing. Eventually you’ll be able to write despite the fear. Try reading BIRD BY BIRD by Anne Lamott. She makes you feel like you can write anything. Good luck!
Bird by Bird, eh? Will it make me feel good because it’s so bad I couldn’t possibly do worse, or is it genuinely good?
Now, it isn’t fair to say that you failed! You got a little writing done, and that counts for something. Try to schedule your time so that you have a specific time when you plan to write. I do this every night, and MOST nights it works! Treat it like a doctor’s appointment that you can’t miss! Good luck!
Oh I like you. YOU can stay. I’ll have to be better at managing my time, but if you say I didn’t fail, then I didn’t fail. YAY!
The fear is a thief, and as someone who is often a victim of its heinous crimes, I’m totally feeling you. I suffered last week with the fear and only just managed to shake myself out of it. It seems so simple after I do it but try telling me that in the moment…it feels impossible.
But its not. This too shall pass. And it’s not like you didn’t get any writing done. Baby steps.
Buddy, we see eye to eye here. The Fear really is such a bitch to overcome. Thank you for the lovely support!
I totally know how you feel, but you can get through it.
I’ve been super busy and stuck in this rut where I just stare at the last scene I wrote and become more and more convinced that I suck.
You’ve accomplished more this week than I have, that’s for sure. And I think the best thing that both of us can do is just … write. Good luck!
We ought to sprint before the week is up, motivate one another. WE CAN DO THIS! SCREW YOU, FEAR!
Lady, you are GETTING THINGS DONE. So, you have The Fear. So, you haven’t written that chapter yet. PSH. BIG DEAL. You know what you are doing? You’re writing on your blog (that counts as writing hellloooo it is IMPORTANT), and you’re doing all sorts of wonderful planny things for your WIP (character profiles FTW!), and you’re reading, and you’re tumbltumbltumbling, and these are all Good Things.
It’s good that you’re acknowledging The Fear. We all encounter it, and we all have to face it and punch our way past it. You can do this. YOU CAN DO THIS. DON YOUR ONE-ARMED SPARKLY BLACK LEOTARD AND SHIMMY THOSE WORDS OUT.
OHMYGODILOVEYOU. THIS!!! This comment should come with a background music of Eye of the Tiger. BRB shadowboxing.
Believe it or not your brain is working all this out. The blogging, character bios, reading, it’s all being analyzed by your team of neurons. Once they finish their analysis, you’ll be writing. Just keep sending them data.
Ooh, how high tech! My brain is a big ol’ computer, just waiting for me to send little packets of information along my inner network. Hurrah!
Wait, what – did I just remember something from my degree?